


A Day at the Zoo

by Flyingintospace



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Dinosaurs, M/M, Montreal Canadiens, Zoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 11:31:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11896857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flyingintospace/pseuds/Flyingintospace
Summary: Alex and Brendan have a day off. So what do they do? Well go to the zoo of course





	A Day at the Zoo

"But I want to sleep," Alex Galchenyuk whined. "Come on man, it's our only day off,"

"Exactly," Brendan Gallagher replied. "It's our only day off and I want to go do something."

"We're in Winnipeg, in October, what exactly are you planning on doing?" Alex asked, not having moved from the hotel bed.

"We," Brendan said. "Are going to the zoo,"

"Are we?" Alex answered. "And why would we do that?"

"Cause it's a zoo?" Brendan shrugged. "Who doesn't like going to zoos?"

"Anyone over ten years old?" Alex said.

"Oh come on. They have caribou and owls and this tunnel where a polar bear will swim over you..." Brendan started but was cut off by a heavy sigh. "But... they have dinosaurs," Brendan said.

Alex became very still.

"Dinosaurs?" He repeated. "You know that's not how zoos work right,"

"Broucher says dinosaurs," Brendan shrugged.

"You know it looks like a beautiful day out there," Alex said getting up from the bed and hunting down his clothes. "We really shouldn't spend our whole day cooped up here."

Brendan smirked, he thought that might convince him.

It took no time for Alex to be ready to go. "But won't we be recognized?"

"We will be if you wear that," Brendan snatched the Habs baseball hat off his head.

"My hat!" Alex tried to grab it from Brendan.

"I got you a different one," Brendan said.

Alex watched unamused as Brendan grabbed a bag from the desk. "Exactly how long have you been planning this? I am not wearing that." Alex folded his arms over his chest, looking offended by the dark blue hat that Brendan held.

"You're the one that didn't want to be recognized?" Brendan shrugged.

"How about I wear your hat and you wear the Jets one?" Alex said, snatching the red Team Canada hat from Brendan head.

"Awww, look at you, wearing my country's colours," Brendan teased Alex scowled slightly, but he reached out to ruffle Brendan's hair as he passed by him to grab his sunglasses. Brendan ducked away from the hand before it could do to much damage, though he did check in the mirror above the desk too make sure his hair wasn't messed up.

When he turned back to Alex he found him with sunglasses on and his jacket, which he had turned the collar up on.

"Really?" Brendan asked as he pulled the Jets hat on.

"Hey it's bright out there and there might be a breeze," Alex defended.

Brendan laughed at him. "No one is going to care that we're going to the zoo," he said as he smoothed down the collar of the jacket. "Come on,"

"Hope we don't run into anybody out there," Alex muttered as he followed Brendan out of the hotel room.

Unfortunately as they rounded the corner to head to the elevator, they came face to face with Carey Price.

He eyed the two of them, gaze lingering on their unusual choice of head wear. He arched an eyebrow but didn't actually say anything.

Thankfully the elevator chose to arrive and the two hurried into it.

"Don't get in too much trouble," Carey called out as the doors shut.

Brendan started giggling as they headed down to the lobby.

Alex rubbed a hand over his face, "I can't believe I let you talk me into this."

They soon had caught a cab and travelled quickly through the tree lined streets into Assiniboine Park where they zoo was located. And before long they found themselves in front of the Assiniboine Park Zoo, a glass and red walled building. Inside they headed, to find a sleepy looking intern manning the admissions booth. She told them their total and Brendan reached for his wallet, only to discover he didn't have it.

"Umm, Alex?" Alex looked over at him.

"I don't have my wallet," Brendan shrugged.

"You paid for the cab," Alex questioned.

"I had some money in my pocket," Brendan answered.

"Well we already came all this way. So I guess I'll pay for it?" Alex came over and paid.

"Have a great visit," the intern yawned, handing them a map.

"Sorry," Brendan said as they left the building.

"You're just lucky I love you," Alex answered, bumping his shoulder against Brendan's. "Now which way do we go?"

"Umm, this way," Brendan said looking at the map and pointing to the right. It was still early in the day and the only people other than the two Habs seemed to be the staff at the zoo, Brendan realized as they walked down the path that was scattered in yellow leaves. They passed by the caribou that was grazing.

"Hey look," Alex said. "They have a white buffalo,"

Brendan followed Alex over to the side of the pen and looking around he still didn't see any other guests so he took the chance and looped his arm through Alex's. Alex started and looked down at Brendan's arm looped through his. "It's okay, there's no one else around," Brendan said with a shrug, leaning against him.

Alex looked around and realized that he was right. Alex relaxed slightly.

Maybe, for a little while at least the could be a normal couple.

After watching the bison for a while, they continued on, still arm in arm. Along the path they headed, past an enclosure with a cougar lounging on a platform, lazily watching them walk by. Through the farmyard exhibits they went and then round the path.

"Snowy owls!" Brendan exclaimed, letting go of Alex's arm, to hurry over to the enclosure.

"They're beautiful," Alex joined him, they watched the white owls for a while before continuing on.

It was starting to get a bit busier in the zoo so they settled for walking beside each other past a sleeping arctic fox and an enclosure of musk ox.

"Let's go see the polar bear," Alex suggested and into the building they went. There was a glass tunnel and the two Habs watched in awe as a polar bear swam over top of them.

"That's so cool," Brendan declared. They spent some more time watching the polar bear before heading on.

They looked at the seals and then coming across a seal statue that you could pose for photos in. "Take my picture?" Brendan grinned at him.

"Sure," Alex shook his head as Brendan made a funny face at him.

"Come on, your turn," Brendan said.

"No,I..." Alex tried protesting but Brendan was insistent.

And Alex found himself inside of a plastic seal suit. "That had better not end up on any social media sites," Alex warned, as he came over and Brendan's fingers were flying over his phone screen.

"Of course not," Brendan grinned at him and Alex didn't believe him for a minute.

They headed back out into the beautiful autumn day and walked for a bit before finding an open coffee hut. As they now had hot drinks with them they continued on their way chatting about anything that came up. They headed past kangaroo, some hooved mammals, and a tiger before they found a bench and sat down for a bit to watch the peacocks that were wandering about.

"Soooo," Alex started. "Didn't you say something about dinosaurs?"

"That's what the brochure said?" Brendan said with a shrug. He dug in his coat pocket for it.

"That you brought with you?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

Brendan was about to respond when they were interrupted by a loud roar.

The two players looked at each other, Alex's eyes lighting up. "That sounds like dinosaurs," he said. "Let's go look."

They hurried along the path.

"Look!" Alex pointed up into the yellowing trees. "It's a T Rex,"

They passed a sign requesting them to stay on the path, complete with a T Rex stepping on a prone person.

They entered a fenced off area and continued down the path as they got close to a t-Rex type Dino, Brendan jumped as it moved and roared at them.

Alex laughed.

"Be nice," Brendan shoved him.

"Hey look up over there," Alex said pointing to a head perched on top of a long neck. "It's a Dipoplodosaurs!"

"Pretty sure that that's not it name," Brendan muttered but followed along as Alex enthusiastically hurried down the path. The sign in front of it helpfully announced it as an Omeisaurs but Alex wasn't concerned about its name. He stared up at the dinosaurs before hurrying on to the next one.

Brendan smiled fondly as he watched Alex rush along the path.

They passed by Triceratops and something that looked like a triceratops to Brendan but was called a Kosmoceratops. Alex jumped as they turned a corner and a Dyoplosaurus scared him as it roared.

Brendan laughed at him this time.

They posed for selfies with the T-Rex and then once they reached the end of the circle, they decided to go around again.

Once they had gone around again, Alex bumped his shoulder against Brendan's as they strolled around side by side.

Brendan looked at him questioningly.

"Thanks for making me come to the zoo," Alex said.

"I knew you'd enjoy it," Brendan grinned.

Alex rolled his eyes, "We should get back to the hotel though,"

Brendan nodded.

So they headed back to the hotel and found Andrew Shaw lurking inside the lobby. Almost like he was waiting for them.

"Did Price tell you where we were?" Brendan asked.

Shaw snatched the Jets hat off of Brendan's head. "Hey what's this? You secretly a secret agent?" Shaw demanded.

Brendan made a half-hearted attempt to retrieve the hat as Alex said. "Don't be stupid. We had to be incognito."

"Why? For your secret spy mission?" Shaw looked confused.

"No, cause we went to the zoo," Brendan answered.

"You...went to the...zoo? What are you two like ten? And in "disguise"?" Shaw started.

"To see the dinosaurs," Alex shrugged, like it was an everyday event.

Brendan had given up trying to get his hat back and they continued on towards the elevator.

Shaw had gone quiet at the mention of dinosaurs. "Wait? What do you mean dinosaurs? Aren't they extinct? Hey? Guys?"

But his two teammates continued on with out a look back.

"I want to see the dinosaurs," Shaw pouted to no one in particular. He stared down at the hat in his hand. An idea flashed in his mind and he tugged the hat on and hurried outside to find a cab.


End file.
